Chair for motor busses



Sept. l, i931. c. E. FERREIRA CHAIR FOR MOTOR BUSSES Filed Nov. 2, 19262 Sheets-Sheet 1 imy Ulli

Sept. 1, 1931- C. E. FERREIRA 1,821,429

CHAIR FOR MOTOR BUSSES Filed Nov. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedSept. l, 1931 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. FERREIRA, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIAm13 FOB HOTOB BUSSES Application tiled November 2, 1928. Serial Nq.145,805.

My invention relates to improvements in chairs for motor busses, stagesand the like, wherein a back portion is movable from a normal uprightposition to any of a plurality of rearwardly inclined positlons to1ncrease the comfort of an occupant.

The present invention is particularly d1- rected to an improved chairv.for motor busses and stages wherein passengers are requ1red to remainseated for long periods of travel.

Motor stages are commonly operated upon long runs and upon schedulesprovldlng for long periods of travel at nlght. Passengers traveling inthis manner are afforded no opportunity for rest or sleep other thanthat obtained in the ordinary 'seats provided.

The primary object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide anlmproved seat for use upon such busses or stages to increase the comfortof the passengers and to afford an opportunity for passengers to obtainsleep in a restful position.

Another object is to provide an improved chair wherein the back ismovable to any of a plurality of positions relative to the frame wherebythe inclination of the back may be adjusted to suit the desires andcomfort of any individual occupant.

A Jr'urther object of the invention is to provide an improved chairwherein the weight of the occupant is caused to t1lt the back t0 adesired position and to normally and automatically hold said back inadjusted position.

Another object is to provide an improved device of the characterdescribed, wherein the back will be locked against further tilting fromany of a plurality of inclined positions, and in which the back will beautomatically returned tonormal upright position when released from theweight of an occupant.

A further object is to provide an improved chair wherein the back may belocked in a full reclining position to permit undisturbed rest and whichmay be easily released and moved to normal position when desired.

A still further object is to provide an improved construction which maybe manufactured economically and which will be simple and eflicient initsjoperation.

I accomplish these and othero objects by means of the device disclosedin the drawings forming a part of the present application wherein likecharacters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughoutthe specification and drawings and in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the frame of my improved chair, showingthe manner in which the back may be tilted rearwardly.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the chair frame as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken front elevation of the chair frame.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail, drawn upon a larger scale and showing themanner in which the locking member and ratchet bar operate to lock theback in adjusted position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail through the locking member at right anglesto the position shown in Fig. 4..

Referring to the drawings, thenumeral l is used to designate in generalthe supporting frame of a chair. The chair is preferably constructedfrom wicker work, though any other material or construction may besubstituted if desired. To simplify the drawings, the frame only of thechair is illustrated.

A back 2 is pivotally connected to the frame, said back consisting of asuitable frame pivoted upon a rod 3 extending across the back of theframe and engaging suitable bearing openings formed through cast metalmembers 4 secured upon 'the lower ends of the frame. Suitable back andseat cushions 6 and 7, respectively, are mounted upon the back and chairframes, as indi- 9o .cated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

A ratchet bar 8 is mounted below the chair seat, said bar beingconnected to the lower ends of the back frame members 4 by means 95 oftie rods 9 pivotally connected between the rearward end of the bar 8 andsaid members 4. The bar 8 extends through a slot 10 formed through a barengaging member 11 secured upon the under side of the frame 10o 1, 'saidmember preferably consisting of a tubular member threaded into amounting socket 12 secured upon the4 under side of the frame. The lowerend of the tubular member is closed by a cap 13 arranged to retain aspring 14 compressed against the lower edge of the bar 8 whereby saidbar may be held against the upper edge of the slot l0.

The bar 8 is provided with a plurality of forwardly faced locking teeth16 arranged to engage the inner side of the tube at the top of the slot10 upon the forward slde of the tubular member 11, and thereby preventforward movement of the bar through the member 11. A pedal 17 is formedupon the forward end 0f the bar 8 whereby the bar may be depressedagainst the pressure of the spring 14 and the teeth 16 moved out oflocking engagement with the member 11 when desired. A spring 18 isconnected between the rearward end of the bar 8 and the back of thechair frame 1, to normally move the bar 8 to its extreme rearwardposition as indicated in full lines in Figs. land 4 of the drawings; therearward sides of the teeth 16 being inclined to permit the bar to bemoved freely in 'the rearward direction past the member 11. A squarelocking notch 19 is formed in the extreme rearward end of the bar 8 tolock the bar against movement in either direction for a purposehereinafter more fully explained.

In operation, my improved chair is secured within a motor bus or stage,not shown, in any convenient manner. The spring 18 normally holds thebar 8 in its extreme rearward position, which in turn operates throughthe tie rods 9 `to move the back to its normal upright position as shownin full lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A shoulder 21 formed upon theforward end of the bar 8 defines the normal position and normally locksthe rack and prevents rearward` tilting of the seat back 2. When ,it isdesired to tilt the back rearwardly whereby the occupant may lean backinto a more comfortable position, the pedal 17 is pressed downwardly tomove the shoulder 2l out of engagement with the upper end of the slot10, thereby permitting the bar 8 to be moved forwardly through themember 11 and the back 2 tilted rearwardly. The back 2 may be stopped atanyT desired position by releasing the pedal 17, thereby permitting thespring 14 to force the bar upwardly within the member 11 and causing anadjacent tooth 16 to engage the .edge of the slot 16 and prevent furtherrearward movement of the back 2. The seat back is moved rearwardlyagainst the tension of the spring 18 by the weight of the occupant ofthe chair leaning against said back, and will be held in the rearwardlytilted position so long as the occupant of thev chair leans his weightagainst theback 2. When the occupant leans forward and removes hisweight from the back 2, the spring 18 operates to immediately orautomatically return the back 2 and the bar 8 to normal position.

When it is desired to tilt the back 2 to a full reclining position topermit the occupant to sleep, the pedal 17 is held depressed until thelocking notch 19 is moved into engagement with the upper edge of theslot 10. When in this position, the bar 8, and consequently the seatback 2, is locked against movement in either direction, and the back 2will remain in full reclining position until released by again'depressing the pedal 17. This permits the occupant to rest or sleep incomfort without depending upon his weight to hold the scat back inreclining position and preventing the position from being afected by anymotion or jolting o f the stage or bus.

While I have illustrated and described only the preferred constructionof my imroved chair, the device is, of course, sub- ]ect to modificationin numerous ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. I,therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the specific form andconstruction illustrated and described, but desire to' avail myself ofall modifications which may fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A chairA for motor b-usses and the like comprising a frame; a backpivotally connected to the frame; a ratchet bar connected to the backand arranged to be moved thereby, said b-ar having a plurality oflocking teeth; a member mounted upon the frame and slotted to slidablyreceive the bar; means for holdin the bar in engagement with said memberw ereby a tooth of the bar will operate to lock the back againstrearward tilting; means including a foot pad fixed on the outer end ofsaid bar in front of the seat, for moving the bar within the member todisengage said tooth whereby the back may be tilted reary rdly to adesired reclining position by t e we1ght of an occupant `of the chair;and means for normally and automatically returning the back to normalupright position when the weight of the occupant is removed fromtheback.

2. A chair for motor busses and the like comprising a frame; a backpivotally connected to the frame; a ratchet bar connected to the backand arranged to be moved thereby, said bar being provided with aplurality of forwardly faced locking teeth; a member mounted upon theframe and slotted to slidably engage the bar,

an edge of said member being arranged to form locking engagement withthe teeth of the bar; means for normally holding the, bar in lockingengagement with the member; a

pedal formed upon the forward end of the bar whereby the bar may bemoved to disengage the locking edge of the member and thereby permit the.back to be tilted rearwardly to a desired reclining position.

3. A chair for motor busses and the like comprising a frame; a backpivotally connected to the frame; a ratchet bar connected to the backand arranged to be moved thereby, said bar being provided with aplurality of forwardly faced locking teeth; a member mounted upon theframe and slotted to slidably engage the bar, an edge of said memberbeing arranged to form locking engagement with the teeth of the bar;means for normally holding the bar in locking engagement with themember; a pedal formed. upon the forward end of the bar whereby the barmay be moved to disengage the lock-edge of the member and thereby permitthe back to be tilted rearwardly to a desired reclining position; andmeans for locking the bar against movement in either direction when theback is in full reclined position.

4. A chair for motor busses and the'lilre comprising a frame; a backpivotally connected to the frame; a ratchet bar connected to the backand arranged to be moved thereby, said bar being provided with aplurality of forwardly faced locking teeth; a member mounted upon theframe and slotted to slidably engage the bar, an edge of said memberbeing arranged to form locking engagement with the teeth of the bar;means for normally holding the bar in locking engagement with themember; a pedal formed upon the forward end of the bar whereby the barmay be moved to disengage the locking edge of the member and therebypermit the back to betilted rearwardly to a desired reclining position;and means for normally and automatically returning the back and ratchetbar to normal position.

5. An adjustable chair including a seat frame; a back frame pivoted ontothe seat-e frame, a fixed pawl depending from the seat frame adjacentthe frontl end thereof; a toothed bar to engage the'pawl'and movablelongitudinally of the seat; means normally holding the bar engaged withthe pawl; swivel means connecting the bar with the back frame and afootpad fixed on the outer end of the barin front of the seat.

6. An adjustable chair including a seat frame; a back frame includingspaced side members pivoted intermediate their endsonto the seat frameand projecting therebelow; a fixed pawl depending from the seat frame infront of the back frame; and

located substantially centrally of the width'.

of the chair; a longitudinal toothed bar to engage the pawl; meansnormally holding the bar engaged with the pawl; means fordepressing thebar clear of the pawl at will; and rigid members fixed onto the sides ofthe bar to the rear of the pawl and extending thence to pivotalconnections with the back frame members at the lower ends thereof.

7. A structureas in claim 6 with a spring connected to the rear endofthe bar and extending thence rearwardly in longitudinal alinementtherewith to a connection with the seat frame.

8. An adjustable chair including a seat frame; a back frame pivoted ontothe seat frame; a fixed pawl depending from the seat frame adjacent thefront end thereof; a longitudinal ratchet-toothed bar vto engage thepawl; means connecting the ban with the back frame; means normallymaintaining the bar engaged with the pawl; means for disengaging the barfrom the pawl at will; and a spring acting to raise the back frame to asubstantially vertical position, the positioning of the ratchet teeth onthe bar being such as to cause said bar to automatically move rearwardlywith the action of the spring unless said spring is countera desiredreclining position by the weight of an occupant of the chair, and meansfor `normally and4 automatically returning the back to normal positionwhen the weight of the occupant is removed from the back.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

CHARLES E. FERREIRA.

